Did You Know....

That Tropicana Tropical Fruit Smoothie tastes just like a pina colada? Kind of scary.

Feeling Blue

No, it's not just the new template. I'm still doing my annual spring battle with fibromyalgia. Some days I seem to be winning. Some days, not so much. Also blue about my job, which could be ending soon. Trusting that God didn't bring me out here just to leave me stranded.

I'm the kind of person (for better or for worse) that likes a clearly defined path. I'm not big on uncertainty. You know the Myers-Briggs test? I'm always a J. Not anywhere near a line of uncertainty. I like to know what's coming and to prepare for it.

So, it comes down to the trust issue again. And again. Sigh.

Joy in the Everyday

Over the last couple of months I've struggled with the concept of being joyful all the time. It's one thing to do all things for God when you're doing something at church, but what does that look like when I'm washing dishes?

"Be joyful always;
pray continually;
give thanks in all cirecumstances;
for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

While I've been struggling with this I've been reading a great book called "The Vision/The Vow" by Peter Greig. It talks about the experiences in his life during the growth of the 24/7 prayer movement. This quote made me smile and gave me a lot of peace, so I thought I'd share it:

"It's exhilarating to imagine the possibilities: the thought that when I light a fire on a winter's evening and the smell of wood smoke fills the house, in this simple celebratory act of life, I somehow glorify God. The thought that, when I slowly eat a bar of my favorite chocolate marzipan (as I very rarely do), or when I lose myself for a day in the wilds of the Scottish mountains, I glorify God by being for those moment fully alive. It's wonderful to think that, when I get in line at the record store clutching some new CD so tightly that I leave little circles of heat on the pristine jewel case, in these very moments of anticipation, I delight God's heart the way my own kids delight me as they excitedly await an imminent surprise. It's amazing to think that, when I lose myself in worship or find myself in the Bible, or laugh with friends until tears run down my cheeks, I glorify the God who in the beginning made life good."

What an amazing thought - that being fully alive is an act of worship to God. In things I do in everyday life I can infuse them with joy. Most of all, that eating chocolate can glorify God. Now there's something I can get behind!

Still Here

I haven't disappeared. Just battling through a flare up of fibromyalgia. I seem to have two settings right now - incredibly painful joint pain or life-stopping fatigue. Over the past 36 hours I have slept 23 of them. That makes for a very productive life.

Send prayers my way. Hopefully I'll be back with all my sarcastic wit soon.

Issues With My Hotel Room

So, I'm on the road for work today. I checked into my hotel and came up to my room.

It turns out that in order to get some peace and quiet, I have to put a sign on my door that says...

"I can't come to the door, I'm in Heaven."

Now seriously,

1. If this is heaven, I need to have a chat with God. I was expecting a little bit more.
2. Why do I have to put such a stupid thing on my door in order to keep housekeeping from busting in on me?
3. Taken literally, I'm telling the world I've died. Kind of an odd sentiment for a door knocker.

In other news, the South is pretty good so far. Perfect temperature. Got on the crowded shuttle and a man got up and gave me his seat. I hardly knew what to do with myself.

The Latest on Clay

Since Bryan so nicely asked for a blog entry on Clay.....

Well, first of all, I'm no longer talking like a teenage boy, if anyone was worried. I still can't sing that well, but I can at least talk properly.

What's new with Clay? Here's the thing - I hardly know. It's been an interesting winter of change for me. I've been taking the Perspectives course and doing a lot of great reading from Erwin McManus, Louis Giglio, Rob Bell and Peter Greig. Lots of new ideas (oh, did I mention the small group study by Mike Bickle?) and a huge amount of challenge. Last night at Perspectives the speaker asked "Has God called you to be in ________ (insert the name of my town)? No? Then you need to go to the mission field."

Now, as luck would have it, right now I am called to be right here, but that doesn't take away from the impact all this is having.

How does this relate to Clay Aiken? I still think he's a really great guy and a talented singer (not to mention having a really interesting ministry). I hope his music will always bring a smile to my face and that I'm still able to go to the occasional concert. However, I'm not all that concerned with the minutia of his life or the drama of the fandom anymore. No need to be competitive about being a better fan than the next person.

Having said that, being a fan of Clay has introduced me to a lot of interesting people and taught me a lot about myself. I hope those good parts never fade.

My Life as a Teenage Boy

So, I've got a semi-cold. Meaning, I don't have a real cold I just have a crazy voice change. When I talk I either have an unaturally high or low voice (and an icky sore throat). Occasionally I alternate between them. It's an interesting new image for me. Teenage boy on the go.

When am I going to be healthy again??